France's prime minister says wildfires are under control as the Gironde megafire is fixed and 208,000 evacuees return home

Gironde megafire fixed after ten days

The fire that began on 22 July in Saumos, west of Bordeaux, was declared fixed on Saturday 1 August by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. Favourable weather overnight and the work of more than 3,000 firefighters allowed crews to stop the blaze from advancing after it had consumed 42,000 hectares across the Arcachon bay area and the Landes forest. No civilian deaths or serious injuries have been reported, though over 330 firefighters have received medical treatment. The prefect of Gironde, Sophie Brocas, called it the largest firefighting operation in the modern history of France's Civil Security.

A mild night and favourable weather conditions allowed the more than 3,000 firefighters to definitively bring this gigantic fire under control.

Evacuees return, but some towns remain empty

At the peak of the crisis, 220,000 people were evacuated from over 20 municipalities. By Friday evening, 198,000 had been authorised to return, and on Saturday Brocas announced that a further 10,750 residents could go home, bringing the total to 208,000. Four communes, including Lège-Cap-Ferret and Le Porge, remain under evacuation orders. Marc Roy, a 73-year-old retiree from Eysines, described the relief of coming back after nearly a week away.

It's a relief. Finally, we feel free and can do what we want.

Roy keeps a packed suitcase under his bed with clothes and identity papers in case another evacuation is ordered.

Var fire reactivates, 2,500 evacuated

Almost 600 kilometres to the east, in the Var department, a fire that had burned 4,500 hectares since 21 July was reignited on Friday afternoon by strong Mediterranean winds. It spread across an additional 1,800 hectares in the Gros Bessillon massif, forcing 2,500 people to flee their homes overnight. Prefect Simon Babre said the situation remained extremely precarious and could change at any moment due to wind and unbearable heat. In Montfort-sur-Argens, mayor Philippe Chuyen estimated that 90 percent of the town's forested and natural surface had been destroyed. The neighbouring village of Correns remained confined on Saturday.

Economic toll: reforestation, tourism and insurance

The forest sector in Nouvelle-Aquitaine employs 34,000 people and generates around 3 billion euros in annual turnover. Reforesting the 115,000 hectares burned nationwide this year could cost between 575 million and 1.15 billion euros, based on an estimate of 5,000 to 10,000 euros per hectare. Tourism, which brought 9.1 million stays and 47.7 million overnight visits to Gironde in 2025, has been hit hard; the prefect had earlier advised holidaymakers to consider other destinations, though Prime Minister Lecornu later called a vacation in the region a gesture of solidarity.

Insurance companies are facing a surge in claims. Some 240 homes were destroyed in Gironde and another 200 in the Landes fire that burned 3,600 hectares. The government extended the deadline for filing damage declarations to 31 August. Baptiste Cornic, an insurance expert, told TF1 that his firm now handles five cases a day instead of the usual one or two per week.

Normally, we handle one or two cases like these per week. But now it's five a day. It's a very complicated task and the financial dimension is colossal.

Government response and next steps

Prime Minister Lecornu, in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, said the overall situation was under control but remained very changeable. He announced the appointment of a national coordinator to lead reconstruction efforts in the affected areas. While the Gironde fire is fixed, it is not yet extinguished, and authorities warn that full extinction will take several weeks. In the Var, firefighters continue to battle active flames, with the highest risk expected between 16:00 and 22:00 on Saturday.